Its that time of year we all hate. The weather changes for the worse, we put the cars away, you have to deal with unruly family during the holidays, in my case I become another year older, and we spend most of our time confined to the house. On the bright side, we get Christmas presents, its always fun to watch that one crazy aunt get drunk during a family event, New Years celebrations and resolutions, then comes Groundhog Day, and before you know it you get snow dumped on you in March one last time before it thaws out and once it warms up there’s spring Jefferson followed by Automotion!

What better way to look forward to winter than by recapping the summer car show season of 2009? What did you most enjoy? What did you most dislike? What you change for next year i.e. different shows to attend, what show’s you won’t be back to, etc?

The good:

The shows I most enjoyed this year were Automotion, Portage, Lancaster, Blanchardville, Jesus Built My Hotrod, and Spring Green.

Automotion is the Daytona 500 of the car show season. Its the first big event of the spring, and its a two-day event. I love spending the weekend in the Dells. Granted, the cruise nights haven’t been real exciting since ’06, but those of us who were there remember how much fun it was…until some drunk guy threw a beer at a cop (to clarify, I was there, I was drunk, but I was not the guy who threw the beer at the cop….however I did see it happen). The show is fun with so many cars, and this year was the first year I have ever won an award at Automotion. It was a great way to not only start the season, but also to win showing the 442 for the first time!

Lancaster is a small show. I enjoy the drive out and the atmosphere of the show. Attendance has been slim the last couple years, but they still pulled about 100 cars. They changed the location from the first time I went to this show, and that may have something to do with it. Its a participant judged show, so you gotta compete hard to get the local boy vote.

This was the first year I attended Portage. Also a very well run show. They had a great attendance and I got to see a lot of cars I normally don’t. There is plenty of room for cars, but if it were sunny you would want to bring your canopy as there isn’t much shade.

Blanchardville is my hometown show. Always good weather and a great turnout! Also another show where you have to compete to win. Frank works very hard to make this show what it is, and IMO he will go down in history. This show is the biggest thing to come to Blanchardville since the invention of indoor plumbing :whistle:

I’m not a real religious guy, but I have to say the Jesus Built My Hot Rod was one of the best show’s I attended this year. I could tell that a lot of hard work went into this event from the minute I pulled in the parking lot. The weather could’ve been better, but there’s always next year! Again, plenty of space for show cars on a beautiful lawn. The homemade food was also excellent and a different change of pace from the normal burgers, brats, etc. I also got to meet forum member MRWS6, and we talked Mopars a bit

Spring Green was also a great show! Not too far for me to drive to, great food on every corner, and some damn nice cars! The Newton crew really deserves credit on how great the turnout has become for this show. I talked with Cuda Man the day after while attending Mopars on the Mississippi and him and his lovely bride were both overwhelmed with the response of the show this year!! This is definately a show I’ll come back to year after year.

The Road Apples show, of course, was the best first year show I have ever attended :whistle: Circletrack, Xman, and every other member of the road apples deserves recognition for there hard work. I was honored to be a sponsor of this show, and the turnout was great! I hope to be a part of this show again next year!

Now, for the bad…

I have to say, this year a lot of fellow automobile enthusiasts got there panties bunched up over constructive criticsm. I understand a lot of people were upset by the Rate the Show threads, but that is what they are intended for – to give one’s opinion on a car show and its operations. Opinions are also like belly buttons, everybody has one. Maybe the economy being in a slump had something to do with it, I don’t know. I know I personally took a lot of flack for many a post from my PC, and there’s still some laundry to be washed yet. Whether I was accused of making fun of someone(s), my thoughts regarding a show, my attitude when it comes to piss-poor judging, or whatever it may be, I don’t really care Those that know me know I am a very vocal and opinionated person, and I’m a lot better about being silent than I used to be. Maybe its old age catching up with me :whistle:

Lets start with Albany – Same problems they’ve had the last couple years. DDHemi and I were invited to attend the Lions Club meeting by Abe Runaas, but then he never recieved a phone call. I’m sure it was all smoke and mirrors in a last ditch effort to keep there attendance up… I know that when I invite someone to attend a meeting I don’t play indian giver on it and snub them. By not recieving this call, going to the Lions Club and meeting with them on a personal level, and helping them reorganize there show for next year, I will not attend. I mean, how does a car that scores 100 out of 100 points not get an award, and get outshined by cars of lesser quality?! For the record, this was not my car. This was a car that belongs to a friend of mine from Monroe, and those that know the car I’m talking about would go into cardiac arrest knowing how bad he got screwed. Local boy syndrome was also in play. This show needs:

1. A new class format
2. New judges
3. 5 awards for 4 cars owned by a family who allegedly donated money to the Lions Club….Hmm.

The Hooters girls were a different touch, but there gonna give there award to who ever flirts with them the most. I would’ve won it had Ms. Moparkid not been there… :laugh:

And then there was Reedsburg. I attend this show because in years past it was enjoyable. I also have a history with this show, from running out of oil pressure with the blue Charger and getting caught in the hailstorm in 2006, almost being scared to drive the ‘cuda there in 2007 because of what happened in ’06, to getting bent over a trash can in ’08 and ’09 when it came to judging. If you go back and read my rate the show, that explains a lot. I also liked how the show organizer/city cop got on the forum and tried to lay the smack down. He later contacted Garibaldi asking for my phone number… Andrew didn’t give it up before asking me, and I appreciate that. I have no problem discussing a show or how I rate it with anyone, so I said “sure, give him my number!” …And I’m still waiting for Bernie to make that call
This is also a show I’ll never go back to.

1. Piss-poor judging. Never open a person’s car door without there permission, and know what your looking at!
2. The registration guy set my mood for the whole day. He should be terminated.
3. Don’t eliminate classes listed on your flyer.
4. And don’t put a hacked up ’70 charger in the fast and furious class when its listed as tuners/imports on your flyer!

These two shows were by far the worst shows I have attended this year.

2010 will bring change as every new year does, or at least I hope. Next year I have a plan to attend some new shows, and hopefully bring a new one into the mix. I will definately be attending Aaron Hoff’s Oregon Car Show next year, especially since its held right across the street from Ms. Moparkid’s home. Don’t think I didn’t catch hell for going to Albany when there was a good show right across the street!

Earlier this year there was talks of the Mt. Horeb Chamber of Commerce having a car show during the Summer Art Fair. I have been in contact with the Chamber as they have asked me to help organize it for there first year. As one who is employed by the local Chevrolet Dealer, who owns his own small business, and is a muscle car freak I decided to get on the bandwagon. I hope to meet with the Chamber this winter and get things organized. I am also going to count on the input of ddhemi and rivfan, who are locals like myself, and any other member of the WCC forum that would like to throw me an idea or two.

I said it last year, and I’ll say it again. I want to attend some shows I have never been to. I live in a location where its not far to drive to IL, IA, or even other parts of WI. I like to see how others run there shows – its good to have some variety! I also enjoy seeing vehicles I haven’t seen before, and meeting new fellow auto enthusiasts. Anyone that knows me or has read my bio on my website knows how passionate I am about the American automobile, and I think I’ll have to emphasize that more during my next trip to Blue Lotus.

I bid farewell to the 2009 car show season. I hope to see many of you over the winter, and if I do not I’m sure I’ll see you in the spring!